The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 121

Back at the villa.

Nora changed into her slippers, dropped her handbag on the sofa, and felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. She reached up to rub her aching neck.

Gideon handed his suit jacket to a maid and walked over to the sofa.

He watched her rub her neck. Because she was home, she hadn't bothered to cover it with a scarf. The patch of tender, newly healed pink skin was exposed to the air, looking incredibly fragile.

Gideon's gaze lingered on that patch of skin, a flicker of complicated heartache flashing through his eyes.

He sat down next to Nora.

“Does the wound on your face still hurt?”

Nora froze, slowly turning her head until her gaze collided with his deep, dark eyes.

They were so close they could see the flutter of each other's eyelashes. The shadows from the chandelier cast sharp contours across Gideon's face. His usually frigid eyes were now reflecting a faint, warm light, carrying an intense focus that felt dangerously intoxicating.

In the past three years, Nora had only ever seen him look like this when he was looking at Giselle.

But right now, that consuming focus was entirely fixed on her.

“It doesn't hurt anymore.”

Nora answered softly, her voice barely a whisper.

Gideon looked at her slightly dilated pupils, brought on by her nervousness, and then at her lips, which were mere inches away.

He slowly raised his right hand.

His calloused thumb gently brushed against a stray lock of hair by her ear. With exquisite tenderness, he tucked the strand slowly behind her ear.

The rough texture of his skin sliding against hers sent a violent shiver down her spine.

Nora held her breath, her entire body paralyzed as if under a spell. She stared at him blankly, her brain completely short-circuiting.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify